In my ongoing struggle to live healthier I decided to start running again. In high school I ran cross country and I liked the challenge of running mile after mile. Shin splints had kept me off the track after high school, but I recently found a shoe that was a game-changer for me: Reebok Zig Pulse. I found my pair at Zappos.

First let me warn you. These shoes draw crowds and comments. My shoes were the buzz of the office the first couple of days I had them, and I even had a stranger on the street stop me and asked about the shoes. Apparently Reebok felt it necessary to put the brightest colors possible for the soles. You should not fear running at night with these shoes. You could probably land planes with these things. For an extra $25, Reebok's website will let you design your own pair, so you could tone them down a bit.

The technology behind the shoes is based off sound proofing. The "zigs" absorb the vibrations from the impact and then take that energy and return it to the runner in the form of a quiet, smooth spring-like effect. The shoes also promise less muscle activation, allowing you to run longer.

Going into my first run, I was a bit skeptical, but the shoes did all that and more. After a few minutes on the treadmill, I would normally begin to feel a sharp pain up my right leg with every strike. However, with the Zig Pulse I ran for 20 minutes without any pain. After a week, my feet aren't sore at all, and my leg muscles are only slightly sore (I knew I should have done better pre-run stretches).

The only real negative (besides the color choices perhaps) is the price point. At around $100, these aren't cheap. I wear mine for every day use, and I'm considering entering a half-marathon so I can really feel like it's money well spent. Let me tell you, realizing you just spent $100 of hard earned money is a great motivation for running every morning.

All in all, I must say this has been a great investment. I'm thrilled to be running pain free, and I'm thankful the Zig Pulse have allowed me to start running regularly again. Now I just need a bunch of great running songs for my iPod......